Recently you've probably seen someone on the internet talking about a game called DayZ. If you are just writing it off as just another game hopping on the zombie bandwagon before it moves down the old dusty trail, think again. In essence, DayZ is a 1st/3rd person survival shooter. It is not a full retail game though, needing the game Arma 2 and its add-on Operation Arrowhead. It's just a mod to the game. But when i say survival I really mean it.

Stealth plays a big role in this game.

So how does the game play? Like i said before, DayZ can be played in 1st or 3rd person. So basically you spawn on a server of your choosing sporting only a backpack, some bandages, and baked beans. That is it. From now on, you must be weary of hordes of zombies ravaging the land. But in this survival game, zombies aren't your biggest fear... it's the other players. Now the people that you run across will be helpful sometimes. But most of the time, if you don't declare yourself as a "friendly" most people will shoot on site. Due to if you die anybody can loot your body, taking all of your possessions. Also if you kill too many other people, your own appearance will change. Allowing people to see that you are not someone to be trusted. With that said, you should know that this game sports the "perma-death". Meaning if you die, you die for good. That character and all of your loot that you acquired is gone for good. Giving you a reason to literally fear for your life. Take a look at this video, a prime example of how some people can turn their backs on thier own humanity:

So with that being said, is DayZ the game for you? The crazy thing is that this game has gone places where other games are scared to go. Perma-death, player kills, and constant need for survival. This game even though it is a mod, needs to be recognized for its innovations. This game is awesome, and i highly recommend any fan of zombies, survival games, or just someone looking for an adrenaline rush to try this game out.

Creating a video game is one thing, making it playable is another. But marketing the video game to the consumer, well that can be tricky at times. Some companies miss the mark by a mile, and their game suffers because of it (Resistance 3). Or others for instance double the hype for a game (Dead Island). When the trailer for Dead Island aired on the internet, i was speechless. that video had no dialogue but had more words running through my head than any other. But that was a year ago, and that game has since released. So what video game trailers have come out this year that have blown people away? With an array of games coming out later this year, trailers are flying around the internet like a dirty rumor about your mother. Here are some (so far) that i feel are the best of 2012 so far:

Mass Effect 3

DmC

Borderlands 2

Far Cry 3

And those are the ones that really stand out to me. Let's just say after the Borderlands 2 trailer. I had to change my pants. Just kidding... no but really. Tell me what other trailers you thought were awesome so far in 2012!

When it comes to gaming, most people would imagine an overweight, thirty year old who works at Papa John’s, and that still lives with his mom. But that stereotype is completely wrong in today’s society. Now if gaming is brought up in conversation, the image people get is a little different. Visualizing birds who are angry rather than Links to the past. This is the result of mobile gaming hitting the mainstream. But with this new medium out for the masses to enjoy, is it a harm free way to enjoy gaming on the go? Or is it the silent killer of a long beloved platform known as the handheld game industry?

The portable gaming industry has always been one of the most interesting stories to follow since its origin with devices like the Nintendo Game Boy or the Atari Lynx. Essentially, portable gaming has always been about one thing: Being able to have a top notch gaming experience without restrictions of a home based console such as PlayStation or Xbox. In recent years the line between a console experience with a game and a handheld experience is becoming thin. Handhelds are gaining technological strength, rivaling consoles about ten years ago. But with great power comes great cost. This brings up the burning question in the mobile versus core handheld department: How can the core handhelds stay competitive with mobile gaming when prices are so uneven?

Stupid iPhone.

An average mobile game on the iPhone or Droid would cost you about .99 cents to about $4.99. That is extremely reasonable when comparison to the average price for a new game on the handhelds, which is about $39.99-49.99! That is a drastic difference in comparison which gives mobile gaming the edge in pricing. But when talking about pricing you have to understand what you are getting when you purchase a .99 cent game from the app store. The .99 cent game is just that; a .99 cent game. It is short sweet and to the point. You could consider it a “stream-lined” gaming experience. Whereas when you purchase a $39.99 game for your handheld you are getting a gaming experience, one that would rival consoles of old. But this is where we can define the line between mobile gaming and handheld gaming.

Everyone and their mother has an iPhone nowadays, and with that kind of audience it was a matter of time before gaming made its way into vast majority of people’s everyday lives. Facebook has an influence on this as well. With the astronomical success of social games like Farmville, and Mafia Wars; this has helped pave the way for mobile gaming to jump on the “gaming for the whole family” bandwagon. With reasonable prices, and games that appeal to the everyday person, it’s no wonder that mobile gaming has exploded. The days of the hardcore gamer being the target market of most game developers is over.

So is handheld gaming a dying breed? Was mobile gaming the cause of this with its more than reasonable prices and modern appeal? Only time may tell, with Nintendo releasing its latest handheld device, the Nintendo 3DS selling over 4 million in its first year of being on the market. And Sony’s PlayStation Vita just released last month, handheld gaming may be dying as we know it. But it won’t go down without a fight.

In case you haven't been on the internet in the past two days, i'm sure you have run into this image.

Will it have NASCAR in it?

And i'm sure you've all made your opinions. I have as well and I've come to the conclusion that Ubisoft has saved the AC series. With this announcment we are not only getting yet another important piece of world history told behind the eyes of the ever going battle between the Assassins and Templars. But this series is practically getting rebooted in the sense that most everything that we know about this game is about to change. I mean look at this art work!! This guy has a bow, tomahawk (which leads me to believe that Indian influence is in the Assassins.) Which means innovations in the combat that you are engaged in. But think about the environments that we are going to experiance. If it is indeed taking place during Revolution time, we get to experience cities like Boston, maybe even a city or two in Pennsylvania. The potential for this game is incredible... but this is what bring me to my rage moment:

"WHY IS IT IN AMERICA?! THAT IS SO VERY DUMB!! IT SHOULD BE IN *insert random location*!! CUASE AMERICA SUX!!"

My thoughts exactly.

...Sigh.

This is about 90% of every comment i read. Obviously people have no idea what the AC series is all about. It is plain and simple: Delivering a story driven experience using historical references to enhance the overall presentation. And that is it. AC would not be AC without historical references. And my god i may be the only one, but I AM TIRED OF RUNNING AROUND ITALY. We did it for 3 games straight, we get it. We need something fresh and what better place to do it than the country in which our main character is from, United States of America. And yes i realize that there are other revolutions that are filled with rich historical information (French Revolution for example.). But Ubisoft has clearly stated that this is final game in Desmond's story. So it makes sense to bring it over to where his ancestors finally came over to.

A fitting end to our hero.

So FUCK YOU to the people complaining about the game's location. You obviously know nothing about how AC works... Oh, you are just a bigot towards America? Cool, take a number, and line up behind the rest of the internet. AC is fueled by reliving historical events. Does the Boston Tea Party mean anything to you? ( I understand some people are not American so they might not be well informed on the USA's origins.) Imagine that the Sons of Liberty are really an Assassin Organization and they are fighting to get away from the Templars. That would be so awesome in my opinion. So instead of bitching and complaining, realize what we have here. It's not just a game set during a revolution. This game IS a revolution for the AC series. Appreciate new ideas jackass.